The idle musings of a former military man, former computer geek, medically retired pastor and now full-time writer. Contents guaranteed to offend the politically correct and anal-retentive from time to time. My approach to life is that it should be taken with a large helping of laughter, and sufficient firepower to keep it tamed!

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Sunday morning music

Last week I put up half a dozen songs that were iconic, representative of their performers, in a way that makes the one forever identified with the other. It's a symbiotic relationship. I invited readers to contribute their own suggestions for pieces like that, and several of you responded. Rather than continue with my own selections today, I thought I'd pick half a dozen of your choices that I also like, and put them up instead.

From 1973, here's Strawbs, one of my favorite rock groups of all time, with their three-part masterpiece "Autumn", one of my favorite progressive rock pieces of all time. It's from their sixth studio album, "Hero and Heroine".

From 1970, here's Eric Clapton with "Layla". This has become a classic in two versions: the first its original rock rendition, and the second in an unplugged version that's captured a whole new generation of fans. Rather than choose between them, I decided to include both, so enjoy!

I've visited Knoxville in Tennessee several times, and I've driven up and down Kingston Pike, believed by many to be the inspiration for both "Thunder Road" (the 1958 movie and song about moonshiners) and Steve Earle's song, too. You can read more about the legend here.

Let's end today with a smile. Last week, an anonymous commenter recommended Blue Öyster Cult's 1976 hit "Don't Fear the Reaper". Well, I agree, but for a different reason. Who can forget how Saturday Night Live treated the group, and the song, with "More Cowbell"?

If you'd prefer the original version, without SNL's interference assistance, it's here.

One regrettable fact about all the videos of Layla is that we don't have one when Duane Allman was playing. Because, in many ways, all of the videos, and the live concerts, are missing Duane's slide work -- which is still unsurpassed (although Derek Trucks' work with ABB is pretty impressive).

There's a bunch of interesting commentary breaking down the dual guitar work on the Layla album at https://songmango.com/duane-allmans-mind-blowing-guitar-work-with-derek-and-the-dominos/ (which is more of a tribute page to Duane's work on the album, and less about Eric).

I understand that there were a handful of live performances that had both of them -- but I never heard that live.